Rihanna's 'Man Down' video "great job", says Gabrielle Union

Gabrielle Union has spoken out in defence of Rihanna's controversial new video for 'Man Down'.

'Man Down', which features Rihanna shooting an apparent rapist at a train station, was criticised by the Parents Television Council for allegedly "accepting murder", though Rihanna has insisted that the video is "art with a message".

Union, who was raped at the age of 19 by a stranger during a robbery, was asked by a fan via her Twitter page what she thought of 'Man Down's approach to the subject of violence.

"#Mandown video did a GREAT job of getting the ENTIRE world TALKING abt RAPE. I hope tht it leads 2 HEALING & PREVENTS RAPE (sic)," she wrote on the social networking site.

"During my rape I tried 2 shoot my rapist, bt I missed. Over the yrs I realised tht killin my rapist would've added insult 2 injury. The DESIRE 2 kill someone whose abused/raped u is understandable, bt unless its self defence n the moment 2 save ur life, just ADDS 2 ur troubles #mandown."

Union added: "Every victim/survivor of rape is unique, including how they THINK they'd like justice 2 be handed out."

Watch the video for Rihanna's 'Man Down' below: